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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · fork · plane · drill · root · pit · perch · mouse

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — army training
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. drill — the tool
  5. root — the cause
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. plane — a tool
  12. root — of a word
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com